Regenerative heating device



Feb. 3, 1948.

J. F. CREWS Y Filed April 12, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet l Feb. 3, 1948. J. F. CREWS REGENERATIVE HEATING DEVICE Filed April l2, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 90 774 7]/ /Z E? 5 M /M daf/N ff (ie/:ws

@M/MMM; v

Patented Feb. 3, i948 2,435,424 REGENERATIVE HEATING Baylor:l

John F. Crews, Appleton, Wis., assignor to Western Condensing Company, San'Francisco; Calif., a corporation of California Application April 12, 1946, Serial No. 661,515

This invention relates to methods and apparatus for eiiiciently heating liquids and deals specifically with the high temperature sterilization of heat-sensitive or heat-decomposable liquids such as lactose-containing liquids without scorching or decomposing the liquids.

High temperature heating or sterilization of heat-sensitive liquids, such as whey, is not readily accomplished with contact heaters or customary heat exchangers because the heating media can never be materially above the desired sterilization temperature, due to danger oi scorching or decomposing valuable ingredients in the liquid. Under these conditions, customary heaters or heat exchangers do not have appreciable capacity, and exceptionally large equipment oi this nature is necessary for handling appreciable volumes of such liquids. `In order to obtain good heat transfer from the heating media lwhich is only a few degrees higher than the temperature desired for the liquid being heated, extensive heat transfer surfaces are required. Such equipment is large and bulky, contains excessive amounts of metal for heat transfer eliect, and, at best, has a limited capacity.

According to the present invention, relatively small, compact, regenerative heating units are provided for handling large volumes of liquids to efciently heat these liquids to relatively high temperatures without utilizing a heating media that is appreciably hotter than the liquid which it heats.

According to this invention, the liquid is heated in stages under progressively decreasing degrees of Vacuum or increasing pressure. Heated liquid from a preceding higher pressure stage is flashed back `to a lower temperature and lower pressure stage for heating liquid entering this stage. The

'liquid is heated to a much higher temperature,

and utilization of the heat absorbed from the heated liquid to heat the incoming liquid makes 'the units of this invention very efficient.

In some forms of the invention the heating media, such as live steam, is directly introduced into the liquid being heated. In other systems according to this invention, the heating media is not commingled with the liquid being heated, but is only placed in heat exchange relation therewith.

Therefore it is an object of this invention to provide a multi-'stage regenerative heating device or evaperatorA wherein liquid to be heat treated is heated in stages tothe desired temperature, and wherein :heat from the heated liquid is absorbed 2 claims. (c1. 15s-1s) 2 in stages for heating the liquid in preceding stages.

A further object of this invention is to provide a regenerative yheating device wherein the temperature of a liquid is increased in stages under increasingV absolute pressures and wherein the temperature' inthe stages, with the exception of the last stage, is maintained by heated liquid from the next succeedingstage. "l

A further object of'the invention is to provide a regenerative heater wherein liquidV to be heat treated is sprayed into a rst stage maintained under low pressure and heated by liquid from a succeeding stage maintained under higher pressure, and wherein the heated liquid from the first stage is lpumped into the succeeding lstagesa'fter being heated in each succeeding stage.

A still further objectV of ythe invention is to provide a regenerative heating device wherein'live steam is introduced into 'a iinal chamber into which preheated liquid ufrom previous chambers is sprayed for heating the preheated liquid'to the final desired temperaturej'and wherein liquid from each succeeding's'ta'ge Vis ashed back tc a preceding stage for heating liquid sprayed therein. "A urther object of this invention is to provide a method for heating heat-sensitive or heat-'decomposable liquids ysuch aslactose-containing liquids 'including' whey, milk, andthe like, Without ever subjecting said liquids to a scorchingtemperature, by commingling the 'liquid in succeeding stages under increasing pressures 'with heated liquid from succeeding stages that is flashed back to thepreceding stages atv lower pressures,

A st ill further object'of this invention is'to provide a method ofheating heatsensitive vliquids with heating` fluids? 'that are never materially hotter than the liquids which they heat,` and wherein these heating iluids are created, "at least in part, from the heated liquid yobtained in a succeeding stage.v` Y

Another object of this invention is to provide an eicient'evaporator wherein condenser Water from a last stage isutilized to preheat liquid to lbe treatedand i'sfthenintroduced into a rpreceding stage maintained at lower temperatures' and heated by the'product from a succeeding stage at higher pressures., I, 4 i 1 H Another object of the invention is to provide a heating device which heats liquids in increments at increasing pressures with liquids Vpreviously heated in succeeding stages under increased pressures; l l v Other and further objects of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the affecte 32 is carried by the central portion of the ape; tured plate 3| andV defines a central passageway connecting the chamber 3|] with the chamber 23 above the inlet mouth 24a of the insert container 24. This neck 32 has V-shaped notches 32a around the upper edge thereof to provide Weir gates or spillways into the-passageway 33.,

VA -bleeder pipe 34 for non-condensibler gases vor the likeY extends through the top'of the cap 29 and the neck 32 into the upper portion of the K chamber 23. Since the second effect of the last effect or heating stage of the device shown inFigure 1. l e

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1 but illustrating an evaporator in accordance with this invention.

As shown on the drawings: Y

In Figure 1 the reference numeral I0 nates generally a tank providing the last effect for a regenerative heater according.' to this invention. The tank I0 defines an upstanding cylindrical chamber Il with a hopper bottom I 2. A cap I3 is provided on top of the tank I0 and dedesigheater is maintained under vacuum, this vent Vpipe 34 is connected to the suction side of a pump 35 which discharges into the atmosphere.

'Liquid is fred'to the chamber 3B through a pipe 33 communicating with the chamber through a side wallof the cap 29.

The Apipe line 20 from the tank |il terminates in a tangential inlet 26a on the tank 22 to dischargeginto the annular space between Ythe Vside wall of the tank and the side wall of the insert Ycontainer 24 near the bottom ofthe tank. The

- heated liquid from the lastV effect provided by the lines a chamber I4 above the tank. A perforated Y plate I5 having perforations I5a therethrough separates the bottom of the chamber |4 from the top of the chamber An upstanding neck I6 is provided on the plate |5 and projects vinto the space I4 to define a central passageway |'I connecting the space |4 with the chamber |I. The upperedge of the neck I6 isV notched as at I 3a to provide spillways or Weirs for liquid in the chamber `I4 rising to a level above the bottoms of the notches. Y

A vent pipe I8 extends through' the cap or dome I 3 and into the upper portion of the chamber II.

Live steam is introduced from a feed pipe I9 through a'tangential inlet I9a to the lower portion of the chamber II. Y Y p A pipe line 23 is connected with the bottom of the. hopper portion I2 of the tank I 0. An inlet pipe 2| discharges into the chamber I4. Liquid introduced into the chamber I4 from the pipe 2| is sprayed into the chamber |I through the apertures I 5a of the plate I5 where it ,commingles with and is heated by steam introduced from the tangential inlet |9a. 'I'he heated liquid collects in the hopper bottom |2. Non-condensible materials, such as air or gases, are bled out of Y the chamber through the vent pipe I8. The tank I0 is operated so as to be under superat- .mospheric pressure.

The heater of Figure 1 has a, second effect o1' stage composed of a cylindrical tank 22 defining a chamber 23 therein and receiving through the bottom Vwall thereof an open-topped, hopperbottomed container 24. The container 24 is secured to the bottom wall of the tank 22 and its side wall is spaced inwardly from the side wall of the tank to provide an annular space therearound in the tank. The insert container 24 has Y an outwardly iianged top lip 24a around the open top thereof in spaced relation under the `top wall of the tank 22. The bottom of the container 24 projects beyond the bottom Wall of the tank 22 and is inclined at 24b. The insert container defines in the tank 22 a cylindrical chamber 25 and a hopper bottom chamber 26 which drains through a pipe line 21 into a pump 28. The pump 28 discharges into the pipe line 2|.

The top wall of the tank 22 receives a cap or head dome 29 thereon defining a space or chamber 33 above the chamberV 23 and' connected thereto through an apertured plate 3| having spray holes 3|a therethrough; A neck member tank I3 isY ashed` back into the secondV effect provided bythetank 22 to heat liquidy sprayed into the second eect from the chamber 33 thereof. The interior of the chamber 23 of the tank 22 is maintained at la pressure less than that existing in the chamber of the tank I0.

Liquid in the tank 23 around the insert container 2,4 thereof is drained through a pipe line 31,7communicating with the bottom of the chamber 23 through the bottom Vof the tank 22. l The heater ofrFigure 1 has a rst effect provided by a tank 38 arrangedrsubstantially identical with the tank 22 and defining a heating chamber 39 therein. An open-topped container 4G projects through the bottom wall of the tanky 42 at the bottom of the chamber 4I. This cham- Y ber 42 is drained by a pipeline 43 leading to the suction. side of the pump 44 which discharges \into the pipeline 36.

The top wall of the tank 38 receives a cap or headdome 45 thereon providing a chamber 46 above the chamberl 39 and connected therewith through an apertured plate 41 having spray holes or apertures 41a therethrough above the top of the insert container 40 in the tank 38. A neck member 48 extendsy from the central portion of the plate 4`I into the chamber 46 and has notches 48a around the upper` edge thereof providing weir gates or spillways to a passageway 49 through` the neck member discharging into the top of the insert container 46. `A vent pipe 50 for non-condensiblesrsuch as gases or the like extends through the dome member 45 and neck 48 into the upper portion of the chamber39. Since the rst effect is 'maintained under vacuum, the vent pipe 53 is connected to the suction Vside of an exhaust pump 5I.

The pipe line 3'I from the second effect provided Y by the tank 22 discharges through a tangential gastan Liquid to be heated is introduced into the Vchamber 46 through a feed pipe 54 extending into the side wall of the head cap 45.

The heater of Figure 1 is a three-stage regenerative heating device or sterilizer receiving liquid into the iirst effect or stage through the feed line 54. For example, liquid Whey at about 50 is introduced into the chamber 46 to form a pool therein from which it is -sprayed through the spray holes 41a into the chamber 39. This chamber 39 is maintained at an absolute pressure of :about-2.6 inches of mercury by the exhaust pump l53, and is heated by liquid flashed throughvthe inlet 31a from the second stage or veffect of the device. The liquid vlsprayed into the tank 38 is heated to approximately 100 F. and :fallsl into chamber 30 is sprayed through the sprayiholes 3|a into an atmosphere of steam at an absolute 4pressure of about 9.6 inches of mercury The second stage or eiect is heated by liquid flashed lfrom the last stage through the tangential inlet '29a and the liquid in the .container .24 is heated to a temperature of about 150 F. It is then pumped into the chamber VI4 of the last effect .provided by the tank |0,-and is sprayed into the .chamber through the spray holes |5a where it commingles with steam introduced lthrough `the tangential inlet |9a and is heated by the steam to about 210 F. at an absolute pressure of vabout 35 inches of mercury.

The liquid at 210 F., and at an absolute pressure of about 35 inches of mercury is lheated sufficiently to be sterile Iand is then ashed back into the chamber 23 of the second effect lprovided by the tank 22 due tothe pressure differential between the chambers and 23. The 210 ,liquid flashes down to an absolute pressure of 9.6 inches of mercury, which is equal to a boiling point of 150 F. In dropping lfrom 210 to 160 F., the liquid relieves sufficient Water Vapor or steam to heat the incoming liquid at 100 from thefrst effect to a temperature of 150. `The 160 liquid flashed into the chamber 23 then Yproceeds to the rst effect, where it flashes down to 110 at the same time relieving sufcient water vapor or steam to heat the incoming liquid to 100 F.

It will be obvious from the above description that the feed liquid or whey isheated from' 50 to 210 F. and back to'110 F. with .onlysumcient external steam being added .to rheat the liquid inthe chamber 6|. This chamber '.63 discharges 'through afhopper bottom 464 into a drain pipe 6.5 'leading to the `suction -side of a pump 66. 'Ihe pump 66 discharges .through a pipe line 61 which passes through a heat exchanger 68 supplied with steam through Ian inlet 69 and having the condensate water removed through an outlet 1.0. The liquid in the Apipe 67| is heated in the heater 68 to temperatures suicient for maintaining a temperature of about l210" in the chamber 6|. The pipe 67| vdischarges the heated liquid through a tangentialinlet .61a into the chamber 6l around the chamber 63. Liquid from this chamber 6| is discharged through the pipe line 1| to the preceding stage (not shown) for the device. Liquid from this preceding stage is fed through a pipe 12 into the chamber 13 provided by the cap or head dome 14 on top of the tank 60 and is sprayed into the chamber 6| to drop into the chamber 63 through spray holes 15a of a perforated plate 15 `which separates the chambers I3 and 5|. As described previously a neck member 16 is provided on the central portion of the plate 15 to `project into the top chamber 13 to a desired height and has a notched top edge '16a to define spillways or yveir gates'from from 150 to 210 F The ratio of total temperature rise brought about -byoutside steam therefore, 2.66. The efciency of the device, which is the ratio of the temperature rise in the liquid, divided by the temperature rise in the last eiect or stage brought about by the introduced steam, and again divided by the number of stages, is 89%.

It should be understood that more than three stages can be used for the heating device-ofFigure 1, and the unit becomes more eflicient as the required temperature rise in each stage is de.

creased. Thus, if Vsix stages were used, the tem- `perature rise in each succeeding stage would only be half of that Vrequired in the device of Figure l, having three stages. Thedevicewould, therefore,be more eicient.

In the Imodification shown `in Figure v2, the last --eifect or stage provided by a tank is used in place of the last stage or effectprovided bythe tank I9 in the device of Figure 1. This tank l6l! Vdefines a chamberl therein and receives Van "insert container 62 providing a chamber63 withthe chamber 13 into -a passageway 11 into the chamber l63 in the event that liquid introduced into the chamber '13 rises to a level `above the bottomsof the notches.

In the modiiication of Figure 2, the last effect or stage provided by the tank l0 in Figure 1 is replaced with the tank rarrangement 69 shown in Figure 2. Inthis embodiment no outside steam is introduced intothe system since the heater 66 supplies the kheat to liquid drained from the chamber 64 and heats this liquid to the desired temperature. As -a result, the liquid being sterilized or heat-treated isnot'diluted with outside steam. No increase in quantity of liquid is obtained. The vdevice equipped with the last effect vshovvn in Figure 2 and 4with two preceding effects as shown in Figure 1 has a heat ratio'equal to 3.5 and an efliciency equal to 87.5%.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 3, there is provided a multiple effect flash evaporator operating on the same principle as the regenerative heaters described in connection Vvvith Figures 1 and 2. In the embodiment of Figure 3 liquid introduced into the first stage or eect is actually condenser liquid from the last stage or eiect, and the product is introduced into the middle effect or stage after beingheated with the condenser liquid from the last stage or effect.

As shown in Figure 3, the last eiect or stage is provided by a tank 89 defining a chamber 8l with a hopper bottom and receiving heating steam from a Ypipe 82 having a tangential inlet'82a discharginginto the chamber 8| just above the hopper bottom thereof. Liquid to be heated is sprayed'into the `top of the chamber 8| through a perforated plate 83 on the top of the tank80 from ar chamber V84 provided by a head cap or dome 85 mounted on the tank. 8 0. A central overflow passageway provided by a neck member 86 joins the chamber 84 above the plate 83 with' the chamberl. Liquid is introduced into the chamber S4 from a pipeline 81 extending into the side Wall of the head cap 85.

The condensate liquid from lthe bottom of the chamber 8| drains through a pipe line v88 and is pumped by va pump ,89 into a pipe line 99 extendling into'a heat kexchanger 9|. The product V1.o be evaporated vvis introduced vinto the bottom -of H into the heating chamber |08. lspu'ayed into the top of vthis tank |01 from a of the unit provided by a tank V90. VThe tank "94 defines a heatingV chamber V'receiving therein an open-topped container96 defining a Achamber .91 into the central portionVV of the .chamber 95. :The insert container 96 has a hopper'bottom 98 "discharging through a piper99'into a pump |00 which feeds the pipe line 81.

Liquid is sprayed into the second effect through .a perforated plate |0| in the top of the tank 90 from a chamber |02 provided by a head dome or cap |03 on top of the tank 94. A central passage is provided by a neck member |04 on the plate 0| to permitithe liquid from the chamber |02 tov spill over the top of the neck through the notched top edge thereof in the event Ythat its level rises above the bcttomrof the notches. The liquid from the passageway inthe neck member |04 and from the spray holes in the perforated plate I0! falls into the chamber 91 and'is heated by steam flashed from the liquid introduced through the tangential inlet member 93a into the chamber 95. The liquid fed into the chamber |02 is supplied by a pipe |05. Condensate from the steam iiashed into thechamber 95 is ashed back through a pipe line |06 and is discharged a second-portion' of .it is Levapf1-rted'amil Where through a tangential inlet |06a into the rst eiect Y ,.Or'stage of the device provided by a tank |01. -This tank |07, like the tank 94, provides a heating chamber |08 and Vreceivesan insert opentopped container |09 defining a, liquid chamber Liquid is chamber l i provided by'a cap or head dome ||2 on the top of the tank through a perforated plate H3 and falls into the chamber I0. A central overflow passageway is providedby a neck member IM on the perforated plate'rllS. Liquid is introduced into the chamber from the pipe line 90 leading from the heat exchanger 9|.

The chamber 0 has a hopper bottom 5 draining through a pipe line ||6 into a pump 1 which discharges into the pipe line a |05.

Evaporated liquid is drained from the bottom of the chamber |08 through a pipe line H0 vexhausted by a pump IIS. l

In operation of the device of FigureV 3, `liquid is fed to the top chamber where it falls in a spray into an atmosphere of steam at a subatmospheric pressure of about 1.3 lbs/square inch absolute. The liquid is heated to approximately 100 F. and is then pumped fromthe chamber |0 into the second effect or stage of the device where it is sprayed into an atmosphere of steam at 3.7 lbs/square inch absolute. In this second effect, the liquid is heated to about 140 and is discharged by the pump |00 into the chamber 84 of the last effect, from which it is sprayed into an atmosphere of steam at 14.123 lbs/square inch absolute where it is heated by the steam from. the tangential inlet 82a to 200 F. This liquid atv 200 F. and at an absolute pressure of about 14.123 lbs/square inch, is passed through the surface counterflow heat exchanger 9| where it heats up the product to be evaporated and at the same time has the heat absorbed therefrom to reduce its temperature to about 60 F. The product discharging from the counterow heat exchanger 9! is heated to about 190 F. and is flashed into the second eect of the device where ing chamber, said tank having a perforated top its temperature is reduced to 150 F. Theremainder of the liquid then progresses to the first eifect of the devicerwhere it is further evaporated and reduced in temperature to F. The evaporated liquid at 110 F. is discharged through the pump i9. The steam added through the pipe 82 .is only required in sucient amountsto make up the differencesin temperatures in chamber and in pip-e I0 and to compensate for eiiiciencylosses. This is equal to about 60F,Y Y l TheV device of Figure 3 provides an evaporator equivalent to a multi-effect evaporator with one and one-halfY eifects inl it. However, in this devica-no boiling of the liquid to be evaporated takes place across anyrmetal surface.` All sur-V face heat transfer is taken care of in the counterflow heat exchanger where the heated liquid temperature'is below the vapor pressure in the unit.V Therefore boiling does not exist.

Inall the embodiments of the present invention, the liquid being heated is never exposedto a'heating fluid which is materially above the ing the last effect or stage of the device.

It will, of course, be understoodthatnvarious details of construction may be variedthrough a 'wide range without departing from the principles ofthis invention and it is, therefore, not the purpose to limit the patent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by the scope of theV appended claims. Y v

I claim as my invention:y Y V1. In a heating device a tank defining a. heatwall, an open-topped container extending through v the bottom wall of the tank into spaced relation from the perforatedtop wall thereof and having a side wall spaced inwardly from the side wall of the tank to cooperate therewith in dening an annular space between the walls, a cap on the perforated top Wall of thertank defining a feed chamber above the perforationgin said top wall for feeding liquid in spray form into the heating chamber above the open tODof the container, and means for injecting heating uid into the space between the side Walls of the container and tank.

V2.` In a heating device atank dening'a heating chamber, said tank having a perforated top wall, an insertrcontainer projecting throughthe bottom wall of the tank and having an open top spaced below the perforations in the top wall of Y the tank, said insert container's and said tank cooperating to dene an annularpassageway'in the heating chamber, an upstanding neck member on the perforated top wall of the tank projecting `into the feed chamber to dene an overow passageway fromthe feed chamber into the top -of the heating chamber, said perforaticns in the'top 'wall of the tank and said overflow passageway being positioned above the open top of the container to kdeposit liquid by gravity first through `theupper portion of theheating chamber and 9 then into the interior of the container, and means for injecting heating fluid into the annular space in said tank at a level materially below the open top of the insert container.

JOHN F. CREWS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

Number l0 UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Meyer Jan. 24, 1905 Burhorn Oct. 8, 1912 Ray et al Aug. 4, 1925 Peebles Apr. 7, 1931 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Number Germany July 11, 1892 

